Seeking guidance for an AMD budget setup.
Seeking guidance for an AMD budget setup.
Hey there! So last year I decided to go with an older MSI Z270-A Pro board and an i5-6600K. Talking about this setup really sucks—especially when I’m playing games, my CPU stays at 100% on all cores. I’m looking to switch to an AMD build but my budget is pretty tight. I’m aiming for around $150 to $200 for the motherboard and CPU. Any recommendations on options that fit that price range? Also, I’m open to used gear if it helps! Thanks! zog
I’m not completely sure about the $ CDN, but I’ll still share some ideas. For the motherboard, you might choose a standard model or a gaming variant. I won’t pick one specific type since there are many B550/B550M boards available under $100 or near that price. It also depends on whether you need an ATX or mATX setup. Regarding the CPU, a used Ryzen 5 1600 AF or 2600 would be a good choice. They’re typically around $100 or less if you manage to locate them. Other choices include the Ryzen 7 1700 and 1800. For the latest models, Ryzen 3 3100 and 3300X are available, though they’re hard to find after a year. Occasionally you’ll spot used units mainly for the 3100, which are about $100 each. The last option is a Ryzen 5 3500X, but these are rare and usually only available used for under $150.
The best deal right now is the 3600 chip. For that budget, an i3-10100 is a solid choice. You can find it here: https://www.newegg.ca/intel-core-i3-1010...-_-Product
Rejecting the 2600x, the 250 cad model is accurate at 3400g. Spiking to 309 is likely unnecessary—stay with the 6600k for better value. Note: The PCPartPicker guide suggests a 3600 can work with a cheaper motherboard, making the 3600 viable for an upgrade.
PCPartPicker list for CPU and motherboard. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-core processor available at $249.99 from Newegg Canada. ASRock B550M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 board priced at $125.08 from Vuugo. Combined cost comes to $375.07, covering shipping, taxes, and any applicable discounts. Created by PCPartPicker on March 8, 2021 at 9:30 AM EST.